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NGINE. @D Patented July 24, 1888.

C. W. DOTEN.

ROTAR O L WS l N d; d; e l I u l m K F K er mw M e, B e L L m,K m CE J l,WW

(No Model.)

FOURTHS TO EUGENE H. MORSE, SAMUEL P.

BLA CKBURN, A ND CALVIN A. AUSTIN, ALL OF SAME PLACE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 386,774, dated July 24,1888.

Serial No, 244.506. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l', CLARK W. Do'rnN, of Boston, in the county ofSuffolk and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented an 'Improvement inRotary Steam-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap, simple, convenient,and economical rotary steam-engine; and it consists in the peculiarconstruction of the interior of the steamcylinder by enlarging the areaof the cylinder at one side; and it further consists in theconstruction, combination, and arrangement of the several details ofconstruction, as hereinafter more fully described, and specifically setforth in the claim.

Figure l represents a vertical central crosssection of a rotarysteam-engine constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 represents avertical central longitudinal section t-hrough the cylinder and pistons.Fig. 3 represents a cross central section of one of the cylinderheadsremoved. Fig. 4 represents a cross section of a portion of acylinder-head, taken at a right angle to the former, showing the groovefor the piston. Fig. 5 represents a section of a portion of a head andhub secured together, showing details of construction.

A represents a short horizontal steam-cylinder, provided near each endwith suitable projections, B, upon the lower side thereof, and whichform supports or a base, which may be firmly secured in position, or asdesired. The top portion ofthe cylinder is provided with a steam-chest,C, having connected therewith a steam-pipe, D, and supplied with theusual valve, hand actuating-wheel, and other devices heretofore employedin this class of engines.

The interior ot' the said steam-chest Cis provided with a sliding oroscillating valve, E, adapted to be actuated in the usual manner toreverse the engine as desired. From the lower portion of the steam-chestextends the steaminlet passage F, which opens into or enters thehigh-pressure portion G of the steam-cylinder, which extends vfrom theinlet F to a point, H, at or near the bottom of the cylinder, as shown.I enlarge the steam space within the cylinder from the point H for thegreater portion of the opposite half of the cylinder to a point near theoutlet or exhaust passage J, as shown in Fig. 2. The steam-cylinder thusconstructed is provided at opposite ends with heads K2, the inward facesof which are provided each with an annular groove, l, provided with asuitable packing, which forms a steam-tightjoint with the ends of thecylinder, as shown in Fig. 2. These heads K2 project slightly within theopposite ends of the cylinder, and are provided each with two grooves,L, each groove extending from a point near their centers outwardlytoward their peripheries to a point at the greatest diameterof theinterior of the cylinder, and are formed at opposite sides from thecenter of the heads and in line with each other, as shown. These headsare firmly bolted or secured to the central hub, M, which is secured tothe shaft or axis N, passing longitudinally through the center of thehub and heads, so that the same may be rotated together. The said hub Mis provided at opposite sides with a deep groove, O, extendinglongitudinally through the same from end to end, and within thesegrooves are fitted thcpistons P, which are forced or pressed outwardlyin contact with theirregular-formed interior surface ofthe cylinder bystean1,which passes into the hub M through the holes It, formed atopposite sides, so as to terminate at the bottom ot' the grooves Obeneath the pistons P, and thereby force their outward opposite edges inclose contact with the cylinder, as shown. Now, in order that the amountor pressure of steam acting upon the inward edges of the said pistonsmay be regulated, I provide an adjustable thumbscrew, Q, which passesthrough a screw-threaded hole in the head or heads K2 and within a holeformed in the hub M, which intersects the steam-pressu re holes R, sothat the point end of the screw-bolt Q may be made to enter more or lessinto the said holes or passages It by screwing or turning the same inthe right direction.

lt will be seen and understood that the ends ofthe said pistons P extendwithin the grooves L, formed in the inward faces of the heads K2, andslide therein when the engine is in motion, so as to form a steam-tightjoint therewith. Now, in order to compensate for undue amount of wear atthe top portion of the interior surface of the cylinder between thesteam-inlet passage F and exhaust-passage J, I provide a spring-bar, S,which is held down into close contact with the face of the periphery ofthe said hub M by a Suitable spring, so as to form a steam-tight jointtherewith, as usual.

It Will be seen and understood that the position of the hub M andsliding pistons P has been changed or partially rotated within thesteam-cylinder from the position shown in Fig. l to the position shownin Fig. 2, which represents the pistons in a vertical position, or onepiston resting at the top of the cylinder directly over'the center ofthe axis and the other piston at the bottom of the cylinder and in thevertical plane of the former one.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim :is-

A rotary engine consisting of a cylinder having a greater area ofsteam-space provided in the exhaust portion than in the inlet portion,and provided with a hub having tWo pistons, and having the heads of thecylinder provided with packing, which forms joints with the opposite endfaces thereof, as described.

CLARK W. DOTEN.

\itnesses:

SYLvENUs WALKER, WILLIAM H. PARRY.

